http://mmajunkie.comCOLUMBUS, Ohio – Following Dominick Cruz’s upset of Brian Bowles for World Extreme Cagefighting’s bantamweight title, WEC General Manager Reed Harris – in all-too-familiar scene – said it’s too early to know what’s next for the new champ.

The fight executive hates to announce fights until he and matchmaker Sean Shelby have a chance to chat, gameplan and determine fighters’ injuries and availability.

But following Saturday’s WEC 47 event, Cruz (15-1 MMA, 5-1 WEC) and co-main-event winner Joseph Benavidez (12-1 MMA, 4-1 WEC) respectfully ignored Harris’ plea for patience and campaigned for a title fight – and a rematch of their initial August 2009 meeting.

The duo set up the potential rematch with their Saturday performances at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. That’s when Bowles’ broken hand forced his forfeit after the second round and Benavidez’s effective game plan led to an upset submission win over ex-champ Miguel Torres.

Even prior to the Versus-televised event, Harris hinted that the Benavidez vs. Torres winner could earn a title shot against the Bowles vs. Cruz winner. Most – oddsmakers included – expected an end result of Bowles vs. Torres, which would’ve been a rematch of their initial meeting at WEC 42 (when Bowles upset Torres for the belt). Instead, it could be another fight from WEC 42 – Benavidez vs. Cruz – that gets a second go-around.

Cruz won a close unanimous decision in that fight, and Benavidez has been anxious to fix that lone blemish on an otherwise-perfect career.

“I’d love to go in there and avenge my only loss,” said Benavidez, who finished Torres with a second-round guillotine choke. “It was a tough fight with Dominick. I think it is a great fight for the fans. We put on a really good show. We could have both gone two more rounds. It was a three-round fight. I’d love to do that, of course.”

For his past, Cruz is ready to accept all challengers. And if that means a date with Benavidez – rather than an immediate rematch with Bowles – Cruz is game.

“I fought him already, and I’m down to fight him again,” he said. “I mean, I’ll fight whoever the WEC puts in front of me. If you’re a real champion, [you] never pick [your] fights.”

Following the night’s post-fight press conference, Harris told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the crowing of a new champ (Cruz), the emergence of a new top contender (Benavidez), having two ex-champs still capable of reclaiming the belt (Bowles and Torres) and a small army of contenders on standby is proof that the WEC’s bantamweight division will remain competitive.

“That’s the fun part of this division,” he said. “There are so many options, so many possibilities. So many guys are right there at the top and capable of winning the belt on any given night.

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